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Weather permitting, contractors will begin road restoration on S. Kelso Drive on Wednesday, January 25th. This process is expected to last thru Friday, January 27th. Expect long delays traveling north and south bound on S. Kelso Drive. Thank you for your patience as contractors finish the final stages of the S. Kelso Water Main project. For questions or concerns, please contact Skylar Masters at 577-3387. Project information can be found here: http://www.kelso.gov/about-kelso/active-projects

THE CITY OF KELSO'S FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING

January 5, 2017

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada has awarded the City of Kelso the Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. The certificate represents an impressive achievement by the City and its staff for attaining the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. The City's Finance Director, Brian Butterfield, has also been recognized with an Award of Financial Reporting Achievement for his role as the primary individual responsible for preparing the award-winning report. This is the twelfth consecutive year the City has received this award and a presentation recognizing this achievement will be conducted at the Kelso City Council meeting on February 7, 2017.

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,500 government financial professionals with offices in Chicago, IL and Washington, D.C.

The City of Kelso is pleased to announce a public hearing with the Planning Commission to take testimony on updates to the following public documents.

1. Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map: allows for a new mixed residential use, rezone requests, and an adjustment to the Adult Oriented Business Overlay to allow for consideration of recreational marijuana sales.

2. Zoning Map. Zoning Map needs to be consistent with the Future Land Use Map.

3. Creation of the Uniform Development Code (UDC) and Zoning Code modifications. The UDC will allow all development regulations to be held under one title in the Municipal Code, making it more user friendly. Individual sections of the code will be updated for the purposes of clarity and streamlining.

Date, Time and Place:

January 10, 2017 at 6 PM

Kelso City Hall, Council Chambers

203 S. Pacific

Kelso, WA

Anyone interested may appear and be heard. The decision of the City Council will be mailed to all those who submit comments, testify at the hearing or request the decision in writing. Any aggrieved party of record can file an appeal with Cowlitz County Superior Court.

***Written public comment can be accepted until 4:30 PM on January 9, 2017***

LINKS TO PROPOSED UPDATES:

Walnut Street between S. 7th Avenue and S. 12th Avenue will be closed intermittently for road work next week (Dec. 12-16). Traffic on side streets will also be affected. Significant delays should be expected. Please use alternate routes. This work is weather dependent and the schedule is subject to change.

11/28/16 The Nutter Corporation of Vancouver, Washington, under contract to the City of Kelso, is constructing a project to improve Yew Street from S. Pacific Avenue to S. 7th Avenue. Beginning Monday, December 5, 2016, Nutter will begin installing underground utilities for stormwater drainage in Yew Street, between S. Pacific Avenue and 7th Avenue. This utility work will take about 3 weeks to complete and is scheduled to be done by December 23, 2016. Once this utility work has been completed the project will then be shut down for the winter with remaining work to be completed in Spring 2017 as weather allows. This work will create disruptions to the flow of traffic. At times, detours will be used to redirect traffic around or through the work area. City of Kelso Engineering Department (360) 423-6590.

Beginning on or about November 28th, 2016, Brookhart Excavation LLC of Longview, WA, under contract to the City of Kelso, will begin work to repair a section of storm line and concrete roadway within the 1100 block of S. 6th Ave. Marking and other preparatory work has already begun. The work will be conducted during daylight hours and, weather permitting, is scheduled to be finished by December 12, 2016.

This work will create disruptions to the flow of traffic. At times, detours will be used to redirect traffic around or through the work area. Every reasonable effort will be made to allow you access to your destination.

We realize this is an inconvenience and we appreciate your cooperation.

City of Kelso Annual Tree Lighting Festival Features Family Fun and Santa at Train Depot.

The City of Kelso’s Annual Tree Lighting Festival will light up Downtown Kelso for the holidays on Friday, December 2nd from 6:00 – 9:00pm at the Kelso Train Depot. This year’s theme is “Christmas in Toyland” and headlines another year of music, games, and festivities for the whole family.

Kelso Mayor David Futcher will light the Christmas Tree sitting atop the Train Depot’s clock tower at 6:10 p.m. (courtesy of Campbell Crane). The evening will include Christmas music, refreshments, games along with prizes, crafts, face painting, a hayride, and cookie decorating. Additionally, Santa Claus will make a special pre-Christmas visit early in the evening to tidy up his list of Kelso’s naughty and nice.

Come join in the fun and help celebrate the commencement of the Christmas season in Kelso, Washington.

In accordance with RCW 35.21.157, notice is hereby given that the City of Kelso is proposing a rate adjustment in its solid waste handling fees for consideration by Council on November 1, 2016. Said fees will be effective January 1, 2017.

The City of Kelso worked closely with David Evans and Associates, Lower Columbia Developmnet, Columbia - CPC, and Winters Anchor Point, to complete the Anchor Point Feasibility Study in March 2016. The Study looked conceptually at design and site access development alternatives. The study was funded through a Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Grant and additional funding received by the owners of the Winters Anchor Point industrial site.